Electrical illumination



2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

C. B. BUELL. ELECTRICAL ILLUMINATION.

No. 252,178. Patented Jan. 10,1882.

aka/"yin?! Battzy the mainline current unbroken and unchanged UNITED STATES TENT OF ICE.

CHARLES E. BUELL, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL ILLUMINATION.

SPECIFICATION format part of Letters Patent No. 252,178, dated January 10, 1822. Application filed December 30, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it knowu'that 1, CHARLES E. BUELL, of the city and county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Illumination, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for distributing the electro-motive force or efi'ect of a main-line current of electricity to several electric-light circuits. Its object is to maintain in direction and practically unaltered in tension, and to enable a low-quantity main current to be used for operating induction apparatus to produce currents of proper tension for producing electric light in a series of local or sub circuits.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 i1- lustrates an apparatus for carrying my invention into practice. Fig. 2 is a diagram of a modified arrangement of devices having the same general purpose. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a series of stations,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The letter A indicates an electro-magnet provided with a polarized armature, B, pivoted to vibrate between its poles b b, and having an extended arm, 0, peiforated at c c to permit thepassage of contact-screws D D through said arm without touching it, said contactscrews being mounted in metallic posts (I d.

The letters E and E indicate plate-springs projecting from posts ff, and bearing normally against the tips of said screws, respectively, the main-line wire G G being connected to and leading in opposite electrical directions from said posts, respectively.

To the pivoted end of the armature is connected one of the terminals of the helices of magnet A, and the other terminal of said helices is connected with a terminal of a primary coil of an induction-coil, H, the opposite terminal of said primary coil being connected with the post 01, which is connected by a wire, it, with post 61. The wires 'i i are portions of the secondary circuit of the induction-coil, which is to maintain the electric light, either directly or intermediately'.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows, the armature B being arranged, as is usual in polarized relays, to stand normally closer to one pole of the magnet than tothe otlier-say, in the present instance, closer to pole b. In this position the arm 0 bears against the spring E and forces it out of contact with screw D, while the spring E bears against the tip of screw D. Now, when a current begins to flow over the main linesay in the direction indicated by the arrows No. 1its course will be over the spring E, arm 0, armature '13, over the helices of the magnet in the direction of arrows No.2, over primary coil of the induction-coil, to post d,*over screwD and spring E, and off on the line. The passage of the current over the helices of the magnet so polarizes the core that the armature is now attracted by the pole b and strikes the spring E, forcing it out of contact'with screw D and permitting spring E to come into contact with screw D, so that the current will flow over spring E, screw D, wire 7;, post cl, primary circuit of the induction-coil, and over the helices ot' the magnet in the direction of arrows No. 3, over the armature B, arm O,spring E, over the line in the same direction as before.

It will be observed that in each movement of the arm 0 one of the springs, E or E, is not forced away from its contactscrew until after the other has come in contact with its screw,

so that there is never any break of the circuit; but the automatic operation of the polarized armature serves simply to reverse the current in the primary circuit of the induction-coil, and thus cause intense induced currents in the secondary coil. It will also be perceived that whatever may be the variation of resistance or defect of operation in the lamp itself, or any sub-circuit which is connected with the secondary circuit of the induction-coil, the main current will not be affected thereby.

As the main current does not produce the light directly, but simply induces the intense current which passes through the lamp or lamps, or other lighting or illuminating device or subcircuit, a low-quantity current may be used on themain line, which is not dissipated to any appreciable extent in the atmosphere. It is, further, as isobvious, produced with much less cost than the intense currents heretofore employed upon main electric-light circuits.

In the modification illustrated by the diagram, Fig. 2, there are two induction-coils,.H and H in the light-circuit, and the primary circuits of these coils are alternately cut out and in, instead of reversing through one coil. One of the terminals of each of the secondary circuits of these induction-coils is joined to a wire, I, and the opposite terminals of these coils may be electrically connected with said wire Z through alamp or lamps or other apparatus.

The letter M designates an electro'inagnet provided with an armature carried by a metal lever, M, which is connected to a spring, at, to withdraw the armature from the core, and also serving as a conductor, as will appear. This spring is connected by wires n n with the primary coils of the induction-coils, which are connected respectively with the main-line wire G. One terminal of the helix ot' the electro magnet M is connected with the main line by a wire, 0, and the other terminal is connected with a metal stop, 1, arranged above the armature-lever. A similar stop, 1", arranged below the armature-lever, is connected with the mainline wire by a wire, 8.

The operation of the modification now described is as follows: The armature-lever being held against its upper stop by its spring, when the current flows in over the main line in the direction of the arrows it passes over wire 0 and magnet M, lever M, wires on and n, primary coil of induction-coil H, and oft'on the line. The passage of the current through the helix of the magnet causes the armaturelever to be driven into contact with the stop 1' momentarily, at which time the circuit through the magnet-helix being broken, the entire current passes through the primary coil ofinduction-coil 11 over wire a, spring m, lever M, stop 1, and wire 8 again to theline. This passage of the current is but instantaneous, as the armature-lever is immediately retracted against the stop q when the current changes from the primary coil of induction-coil H to that ofcoil H. The general effect accomplished by this last modification is the same as that of the first; but there is no reversal of the current in the primary circuit of either inductioncoil, the cessation and reeommencing of the current having the same effect.

The main circuit may be changed in the primary coils by means extraneous from the force derived from the main circuit, and two primary helices may be made operative separately upon one common core and inclosed in one secondary coil, and said secondary coil may then be used in lieu of the two shown in Fig. 2 without departing from my invention.

Having now described my invention and explained the operation thereof, I claim 1. The combination, with a main circuit, of a branch or loop light circuit, an automatic circuit-changer arranged to operate an induction apparatus, said induction apparatus being included in said branch or loop circuit, whereby an induced current is produced without breaking, appreciably varying the tension, or changing the general direction of the current on the main line, essentially as set forth.

2. The combination, with one normally-closed electric circuit, of a series of stations, each provided with an induction apparatus having its primary coil forming part of said electric circuit, and its secondary coil arranged to maintain electric illumination, and devices adapted to automatically affect the current in the primary coil of the induction apparatus for producing induced currents in the secondary circuit thereof without changing the direction of the currents charging the main circuitin its entire length, or interrupting the continuity of said main circuit, orappreciably disturbing the tension thereof, substantially as described.

8. Thecombination,with one normally-closed main electric circuit, of a series of stations, each provided with an induction apparatus having its secondary circuit arranged to maintain electric illumination, and with devices adapted to alternately shunt and interpose the primary helix of theinduction apparatus in said main circuit without interrupting the continuity thereof, as set forth.

4. The combination, with one main electric circuit, of a series of stations, each provided with an induction apparatus having two primary helices, and devices adapted to separately and alternately interpose and withdraw the primary helices without interrupting the continuity of the main circuit or appreciably disturbing its tension.

I have hereunto affixed my signature, in the presence of these witnesses, this 23d day of December, 1878.

CHARLES E. B UELL.

Witnesses:

E. J. UPHAM, EVELYN L. BISSELL. 

